Beatrice Forbes, Countess of Granard

Jane Beatrice Forbes, Countess of Granard (née Mills; 19 July 1883 – 30 January 1972) was an American-born heiress.

Biography

She was born on 19 July 1883 in Newport, Rhode Island. She was the daughter of Ogden Mills; she was a twin to Gladys and sister of Ogden.

On 14 January 1909, she married Bernard, Earl of Granard with whom she had four children. Her daughter, Lady Moira, married Count Rossi of Switzerland and Lady Eileen married John, Marquess of Bute. With her marriage, Beatrice Mills would be known as Countess and/or Lady Granard. Her husband's wealth was limited and she provided the funds to finish restoring the family's historic Castleforbes in Newtownforbes, County Longford, Ireland. Their principal residence was at Forbes House, Halkin Street, SW1 in London plus a residence at 73 Rue de Varenne, Paris, France she would inherit from her father.

Thoroughbred racing

Beatrice Mills was raised around horses at her family's Livingston Mansion in Staatsburg, New York. Her father owned Thoroughbred racehorses in the United States and in France in partnership with Edward, Earl of Derby. Beatrice's sister Gladys and her brother Ogden would establish Wheatley Stable that would become one of the preeminent Thoroughbred racing and breeding operations in the United States.

Beatrice's husband, Bernard, was Master of the Horse whose duties for King George V included overseer of the Royal Stables and Stud. On January 29, 1929, Beatrice's father died. As part of her inheritance she received his stable of Thoroughbreds in France. That year, she led all owners in purses earned. In 1933, her horse, Cappiello, won the Prix Lupin and the prestigious Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris. Among her other racing successes, Lady Granard's horses won the Prix Jacques le Marois in 1937 and 1967. In 1964 her horse Pourparler won the British Classic, the 1,000 Guineas Stakes.

The most notable horse bred and raced by her siblings Wheatley Stable in the United States was Bold Ruler, a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee and an eight-time Leading sire in North America. Gladys and Ogden bred Bold Ruler to the Champion racing mare, Misty Morn. The result of the mating was Bold Lad, a colt born in 1962 that earned American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt honors. Bold Ruler sired a second colt in 1964 by a different mare that was given the same Bold Lad name. Bold Lad II was bred by Lady Granard and raced in England and Ireland where it too won Champion Two-Year-Old Colt honors.

Death

A widow for more than twenty-three years, Lady Granard died at her Paris residence on 30 January 1972.